San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-18

glowing with love and mischief. still
/ hardly see why it should be madness
either. We shall be paupers, doubtless;
but, as we agreed just now, that does
not seem seriously to interfere with
Jack aud his wife's happiness. Be-
sides, | can work, | know, any way"
With u start, some considerable time
later, they bethought themselves of the
time, and turned toward home. Their
confusion was not diminished ON their
meeting Jack and his wife close to the
garden-gate.
so here you arel" said Jack, looking
sharply at them. The good wife chose
to fancy you had fallen over the
lin, or been stung TO death by adders,
and buried by the robins, like the babes
in the wood; and, AS nothing would
suit her ladyship but going off to dis
cover the whereabouts of your mortal
remains, was in duty bound to ac-
company her."
They turned, and all went into the
house, Maude at heart very thankful it
was so close.
As soon as the two ladies had gone
in, Gerald seized Jacks hand and
shook it violently, exclaiming incoher
emily as to his gratitude to Jack and
the fitness of his own happiness, till
Jack suddenly caught him by the
shoulders, pushed him down into o
chair, and himself dropped into an
other, dryly remarking-
"Now, just calm yourself, young man,
and try to tell me coherently what all
this excitement is about. AT present
all know is that am trump, that
you are the happiest fellow alive; and
that some third person is an angel-al
three possibly true enough statements,
but scarcely explanatory"
1T all came from that walk. You see,
when l went off with Miss-with
Maude-we began to talk of you and
your marriage; and then-I don't
know how-we found ourselves discus
sing poverty, money, et-cgterd; and ]
told her of the horror had of heiresses,
thanks to poor Warburton's affair with
Miss Alverton-"
"The deuce you did" put in Jack,
much amused.
"Yes, and then-and them Oh,
hang it, man, | can't tell how it all
came about exactlyl But found my
self kissing her, and it was particular
ly jolly. You KNOW" continued Ger
aid meditatively, she's an awfully nice
girl to kiss!"
well, you are the coolest handl"
laughed Jack. 81 wonder if Miss Maude
reciprocates the sentiment? But, to
come to more serious matters, may one
inquire what you two young people
propose living on?'
"Oh, shall have to buckle to, and
try for some appointment l think l
can manage that somehow. expect
there'll be deuce of row about it,
though. The mater will be wild, for I
know she has some fearful heiress in
tow for me; and truly l think that
prospect added a zest to the present
affair"
well, my dear fellow, Pm prepared
to admit that you've reckoned up your
own share of the row; but how about
Maude's people?"
"Maude's peoplel" repeated Gerald
slowly. Il never thought of them.
Somehow l had notion she had none.
l suppose L fancied l should have to
come and ask your consent, if
thought of the matter at all-which,
now that L come to consider, L don't
believe l ever did. The worst is, l
never told her about myself-not that
it matters much, after all, for l can
tell her at any time"
"No, thank you'll" put in Jack sharp
ly. you'll do nothing of the sort.
Maude most certainly has people, and
L will only undertake to smooth your
way with them on the condition that
Fouls till | give you leave to resume
your name"
"Oh, come, sayl" protested Gerald.
"'Tis my only condition; but stick
to it. You will not breathe syllable
about your title till give you leave,
or l shall leave you in the lurch; and,
if do, l wouldn't give much for your
chances"
This shot told; the promise was
given, and Gerald departed to dress for
dinner and dream Of his happiness.
But Jacks troubles were not oyer.
Hardly was Gerald gone when Marga-
ret entered.
"Oh, Jack, Jack, what on earth shall
we dop What will aunt Eleanor say?
Really, Jack dear, it was too foolish of
you having Gerald FOULS here now;
and he an artist tool"
why, my child, don't you like himP"
Like himl That's not the question.
/ like him immensely, and think he
would be capital husband for Maude;
but her mother-her unclep"
@Her mother and her uncle, my dear,
will de what dozens of mothers and
uncles before have them have done
buster a little, growl, grumble, and
give in. Now don't you go fretting
yourself ill, little woman; it will all
come right. Just tell me-has she said
anything to your"
Nothing exactly. Only just now
she turned and kissed me, which, by
the-way, she has never done before of
her own accord-and began to say
something; but then she checked her
self, asking me at what time the post
went out, and begging me to excuse
her appearing at dinner, as her walk
and the heat had given her head
ache"
IF that is the case my dear, let us
dine. l am not lover, and 1 am
hungry"
Meanwhile Maude, having got rid of
anxious little Madge, sat down to her
desk and wrote
"Dear Mother-What your real intention
may have been in sending me here l cannot
certainly say, though at times fancy can
guess it If | am right in my conjecture
your plan has simply failed. Mr.. MelfOrd
and Margaret have been kindness itself, and
my life during the past two months has been
a very happy one. About three weeks since
Mr.. FOULS, a friend OF Mr.. Melford's, came
on visit; he is an artist, very clever, very
pleasant, and very poor You see put the
facts clearly, if badly, before you. This af-
ternOOn, knowing nothing more of me than
he has seen here, thinking me simply Mar
garet's cousin, as poor as himself, he pro-
posed, and l have accepted him. That this
mil 10 4 fhar